Washing machine



Oct. 10, 1939.

E. L. HYDE WASHING MACHINE Original Filed Nov. 18, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR BY ELBERT L. HYDE \M ,4%

ATTORNEYS FIG.- 2

' E. L. HYDE WASHING MACHINE Oct. 10, 1939.

Original Filed Nov. 18, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FiG- 4 INVENTOR BY ELBERT L. HYDE W,

14% #W ATTORNEYS Patented Oct. 10, 1939 WASHING MACHINE Elbert L. Hyde, Shaker Heights, Ohio, aasignor to g The American Laundry Machinery Company,

Norwood, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application November 18, 1937, Serial No. 115.349

Renewed March 15, me

. 3 Claims. (01. 08-27 This invention relates to improvements in washing machines and more particularly to a machine having a plurality of compartments in which the depth of the detergent bath varies auto- I 5 matically during a washing operation due to the arrangement oi the parts. An object of the present invention isto provide a' plurality of washing cylinders rotatable in a single casing and wherein the bottom of the i0 casing forms compartments forholding the detergent bath and wherein the washing cylinders reverse their direction of rotation and are so related to partition means between the compartments that detergent is carried from one com- 15 partment to another so as to vary the depth of the detergent bath in any one compartment during the washing process.

Other novel features of my device will be apparent from the accompanying drawings and go specification and the essential features will be I set Iorth'inthe claims.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a washing machine embodying my invention; Fig. a vertical sectional view taken through the g machineot Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the 1 machine of Figs. 1 'and'2 with partsbroken away to show the structure; while Fig. 4 is a diagram v of'the reversing circuits for the driving motor.

There are certain advantages derivable from so the housing of two or more rotatable washing cylinders in 'a single casingv together with the provision of a reversing drive for the cylinders. I have taken advantage of this arrangement to provide partition means in the bottom of the 35 casingv forming a separate detergent bath beneath each washing cylinder, the partition being so arranged that upon rotation of two adjacent cylinders in the same direction detergent is carried over the partition so as to lower the level in one compartment while at the same time raising the level in an adjacent compartment. Thus in the usual washing operation where the direction of, cylinder rotation is periodically reversed. thedetergent bath in which the articles are 4| washed is alternately raised and lowered in depth.

. thusperiorming certain desirable functions in a washing operation.

While it will be understood that my device may be applied to more than two cylinders, I have 50 illustrated a single casing it housing foraminous cylinders Ii and i2. These cylinders are mounted for rotation in the casing by means of gudgeions l3 and i4 secured tmthe rear heads oi. cylinders III and II respectively. Rigidly connected to the gudgeons l8 and H are the drive gears l5 and It. each of which meshes with a pinion ll suitably mounted for rotation on" the casing frame on shaft ll. Also mounted on shaft i8 is a large pulley it which is connected by belt drive 20 with a small pulley 2| on the shaft 22 8 of motor 23 which in the present instance is shown mounted on the top of the casing.

For loading and unloading the washing cylinders the front cylinder head is provided with openings opposite the doors 24 and 25. These 10 doors of course are swung on hinges and suitably -sealed during a washing operation. The forward end of each cylinder is preferably provided with a collar 26 which engages rollers mounted at points 21 so as to support the forward end of 18 the cylinder when loaded.

Any suitable means may be provided for reversing the direction of drive of the washing cylinders and for this purpose I have .illustrated the structure more thoroughly shown. described and 2 claimed in Patent No. 2,007,591 granted July 9,

1935. to W. P. .Beattie. This control mechanism in the two branches 3| and ll of a control circuit including a switch 31 connected to the casing doors in such a manner as to be open when the doors are open and closed when the doors are closed, and also by way of an overload throwout switch 38 which is normally closed but which is adapted to open upon abnormal current flow to the motor for any cause. A pilot-motor 39 is in a circuit across two of the leads as shown. In opero ation of the system one or the other of the relays 33, 34 is energized to close its set of eontactors ll, 32 as the case may be by closing one or the other of the branch circuits 3|, it .which is efiected by manipulation of the pairs of switch 45 members til, I in one pair and 4!, l! in the other pair. These pairs of switches are operated so as to alternately close one and open the other by means of'suitable cams actuated by pilot motor as which is constantly running during a vmiening operation. These cams and their operation are more fully described in the patent referred to. The resultoi this control systemic thatwhen the cylinders are loaded and the-doors closed and i the current turned on, motor 39 runs constantly and reverses the rotation of motor 23 so that cylinders II and i2 rotate first both in clockwise direction and then both in counterclockwise direction, this reversal continuing periodically throughout the washing operation.

It will be noted that the bottom of casing II is provided with partition means 44 which'forms separate compartments or pockets for the detergent bath beneath each washing cylinder. Preferably, the partition walls follow closely the curvature of the cylinder and are slightly spaced therefrom. Preferably also the walls of the casing at points 45 also closely follow the curvature of the washing cylinders to produce a better washing action. Normally the casing I is supplied with a detergent bath which in a quiescent state is at a level below the top of partition 44. With the two cylinders rotating in the same direction the tendency is for one of the cylinders to carry liquid up one face of partition 44, throwing it over the top where it is carried down the other side by gravity and by the rotation of the other cylinder. It results from this action that with the parts as viewed in Fig. 2, with both cylinders rotating counterclockwise detergent will be carried from the compartment below cylinder I I over into the compartment beneath cylinder l2 so as to make the detergent bath' deeper in the righthand compartment and shallower in. the lefthand compartment. Upon reversal of the motor .drive these conditions will be reversed.

Preferably the washing cylinders are supplied with lifting ribs 46 for the well known purpose of lifting articles being washed and dropping them by the deeper bath. This action goes on alternately throughout the washing process.

The usual accessories are supplied for introducing liquid, soap, bleaches and the like into the casing HI and for draining the same. For instance, I have shown pipe connections at 41 for the introduction of hot and cold water to the casing, trough 48 opening into the casing for introduction of soap and the like and also dump valves at 49 which may be actuated by any suitable means, as for instance by the pedal 50.

What I claim is:

1. In a washing machine, a casing, a pair of foraminous cylinders rotatably mounted in said casing on parallel axes, means for rotating said cylinders in the same direction, means for reversing the direction of cylinder rotation, and a partition between said cylinders forming two separate compartments in the bottom of said casing, said partition being so constructed and arranged that liquid is carried over said partition by cylinder rotation.

2. In a washing machine, a casing, a pair of foraminous cylinders rotatably mounted in said casing on parallel axes, means for rotating said cylinders in the same direction, means for periodically reversing the direction of cylinder rotation, a partition between said cylinders having surfaces parallel to said axes and conforming to the curvature of said cylinders and slightly spaced therefrom, said partition separating two noucommunicating compartments in the bottom of said casing, and said partition being of such a height that liquid is carried over said partition from one compartment to the other by cylinder rotation, when the quiescent liquid level in said one compartment is lower than the top of said partition.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein said cylinders have means on their inner walls for lifting and dropping articles washed therein, whereby said articles are at alternate reversals of rotation dropped into a detergent bath of different depth.

ELBERT L. HYDE. 

